Reamer



Aug. 23, 1955 D. P. BLAKER 2,716,020

REAMER Filed March 1, 1952 i2! Z3 Dav/a F? B/G/rer 40 INVENTOR.

ox- I ATTORNEY United States Patent rind! REAMER David P. Blaker, Odessa, Tex.

Application March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,354

19 Claims. (Cl. 255-73) This invention relates to well drilling tools, and more particularly to a reamer for use in the rotary method of well drilling.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a reamer employing cutters of the roller type, and having means by which the cutters are securely but replaceably mounted on the reamer body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reamer of the type referred to, wherein improved means is employed for securing and locking the cutter bearing blocks to the reamer body, whereby displacement of the bearings or the development of loose play between the parts of the structure, due to engagement of the reamer with objects in the well is effectively prevented.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reanier of the type referred to, in which cutters of the roller type are employed, which cutters are mounted in bearing blocks received in recesses in the reamer body,

and wedgedly secured in the recesses by removable wedges which are adjustably secured to the reamer body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reamer structure of the type referred to wherein the cutters are mounted for rotation on shafts or pins which are in turn rotatably supported in bearing blocks carried by the cutter body, so that the pins as well as the cutters may rotate freely, thus effectively reducing the wear on the parts and prolonging the life of the tool, reducing the likelihood of sticking or jamming of the cutters and also rendering the parts more easily replaceable for purposes of maintenance and repair.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a reamer of the type referred to, which is of simple de sign and rugged construction, capable of long withstanding the extreme conditions of hard usage and exposure to which such devices are customarily subjected, and in which the cutters, cutter bearing blocks and pins are easily removable and replaceable for purposes of maintenance and repair.

The principle of the invention, and its mode of operation, and application will best be understood from the following detailed description, constituting a specification of the same, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a reamer body constructed in accordance with the invention, showing a reamer in place thereon;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view similar to that of Figure 1, showing the body of the reamer with the cutters and cutter bearings removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and rotated substantially 30 in a clockwise direction from Figure 4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line of 55 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken 2,715,020 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 along the line of 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawin s in greater detail, wherein like numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 designates a reamer body, which is of generally cylindrical configuration, and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally-disposed, peripherally-spaced, cutter receiving recesses generally indicated at 14-. The recesses 14 are preferably arcuate in cross section, as best indicated in Figure 2, and are of a size to accommodate roller cutters 16, therein, and to provide ample clearance between the outer peripheries of the cutters and the reamer body, so that the cutters may rotate freely in the recesses.

The cutter recesses 14 are extended at each end to provide bearing block recess portions 18, each of which has an undercut side wall 26, and is preferably formed with a fiat bottom 22. Each of the end cutter bearing block recesses is also formed with a longitudinal side portion 23 and a lateral end portion 24 extending to a somewhat greater depth than the portions 18, as will be plainly seen from an inspection of Figures 3, 5 and 6.

A bearing block 28 is positioned in each of the recessed portions 18, in engagement with the side Wall and resting on the bottom 22 of the recess. The bearing blocks have tapered sides, corresponding to the undercut side wall 20 of the recess 18, and at the outer end the bearing blocks are formed with downwardly extensions 36, extending into the laterally extending portions 24 of the bearing block recesses and engaging the opposite end walls of the bearing recesses, whereby the bearing blocks are securely locked in position against longitudinal movement with reference to the body of the reamer. Securing wedges 34 are positioned in the longitudinally extending portions of the bearing block recesses, in engagement with the side walls 26 thereof, and these wedges have tapered side walls 36, which correspond to and engage the adjacent side walls of the bearing blocks, to securely lock the bearing blocks in position on the body. The securing wedges are secured in place by means of the bolts 38, which extend through openings 39 in the wedges and are received in threaded openings 40 in the body beneath the bottoms of the recess portions or wedge sockets 23 as best shown in Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings.

As will be evident from an inspection of Figures 5 and 7, the wedges 38 are somewhat shorter than the depth of the recess portions or sockets 23 so that the wedges may be drawn inwardly by tightening the bolts 33, in order to securely lock the bearing blocks in position, and prevent any loose play of the bearing block in the body.

The securing wedges 34 are each provided with an internally threaded opening 42, for the reception of a bolt 44, or other suitable tool, which is adapted to engage the bottom of the recess portion 23 for the purpose offorcing the wedges out of the recesses, in the event of sticking of the wedges, when it is desired to remove the same, in order to remove and replace the bearing blocks 28.

The roller cutters 16 are carried on shafts or pins 46, which in turn are supported at their opposite ends in the bearing blocks 28. The cutters are preferably freely rotatable on the shafts 46, and these shafts are also mounted for free rotation in the bearing blocks, so that the cutters are floatingly supported and the cutters and shafts may rotate independently relative to the body, whereby any possibility of the cutters becoming stuck to the shafts or of the cutters failing to rotate is obviated. It will also be apparent that by providing for the free rotation of the cutters on the shafts and for 'free rotation of the shafts in the bearing blocks, wear between the. parts is greatly reduced and takes place uniformly thus substantially increasing the useful. life of the tool.

In assembling the reamer, the roller cutters with their shafts 46 are assembled with the bearing 'blocks 28, and the bearing blocks are seated in the recesses or bearing seats 18, with the extension 30 of the blocks extending into the lateral recess portions 24. The Wedges 34 are then inserted. in the recess portions or wedge sockets 23, with the tapered side walls 36 of the wedges in engage inent with the adjacent side walls of the bearing blocks, and the bolts 38 are then inserted through the openings 39 and screwed into the openings 40 in the body, until the wedges'are moved into secure locking engagement withthe bearing blocks; Because of the undercut side walls 2 'of the bearing block recesses or seats, and the tapering side walls of the block, as well as the tapering sidewalls'36 of the wedges, the blocks are securely held in'the recesses, against'ou'tward displacement relative to the body. Also the engagement ofthe extension 30 of the bearing blocks in'the laterally extending recess portions 24, the, bearing blocks are securely held against longitudinal movement relative to the body, and in the event that the bearing blocks or the cutters should engage' any object in thewell bore, such as irregularities in the. well casing, or theends of sections'of the well casing 'where'the same. are coupled together, during inserting or removal of the reamer from the well, the blocks are prevented from being knocked loose from the body,

gagementwith the cutters, whereby the cutters might become, jammed in .the recesses, and be prevented from rotating freely during the reaming operation.

It'will', of course, be understood that the cutters may be, arranged in any suitable manner on the cutter body,

7 and that. the cutter recesses may be parallel to the axis of the body or at any desired or expedient angle or position relative thereto.

7 Should it become necessary to remove the cutters from the. body, for purposes of replacement or repair, this .can readily be accomplished by first removing the 'securing bolts 38, and in the event of sticking ofqthe wedgesin the wedge sockets, they can be removed there from by inserting the bolts 44 in the openings 42 in the wedges, whereupon the bolts 44 will engage the bottoms of the recessportions 23. and the wedges may then be forced outof the recesses.

It 'will thus be seenthat the invention, as described above, provides a reamer of simple. design and strong construction, which is easily manufactured, and whose are readily replaceable, in the event of excessive wear or damage. 7

The. invention has been described. herein in connection witlna certain specific embodiment of the same, but it will be understoodthat this is intended by way ofillustration only, and that numerous changescan be made: in

the, constructionand arrangement of the various parts, Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope. of the appended claims. 7

Having thus clearly shown and described the inven- Letters Patent is: V I

1. A reamer comprising an elongated body having an.

' external cutter recess extending longitudinally thereof,

said body having external cutter bearing recesses at each end of andopening into the cutter recess, each bearing recess. having longitudinal side: walls, a bottom wall and an. end wall, one of said side walls being. undercut, each bottorn wall having a depression adjacent its end. wall and extending laterally of said body andof said cutter recess, a; bearingblock in each bearing recess, said bearing blocks having an end wall abutting: the end wall of' the bearing recess and 21 depending member received in said depression' whereby the engagement of the end 'walls of" the or from being displaced longitudinally into wedging ention,what is claimed as new and desired to secure by 7 respectively, and being substantially coextensive.

block and bearing recess and of the depending member in the depression will prevent longitudinal movement of the bearing block in either direction, but will permit lateral movementof the bearing block in the bearing recess and radial movement of the block into'and therefrom,

said bearing block having longitudinal sidewalls one of which is complementary to said undercut wall, a cutter journaled for free rotation upon said bearing blocks and disposed in said cutter recess, a longitudinal locking wedge for each bearing block disposed in a bearing recess to one side of said block, retaining means engaging the wedge and moving the same towards the bottom of the recess,

another side wall of the bearing block cooperatingwith the wedge for simultaneously forcing the. block laterally ing recesses being of less depth. than that of the cutter recess the bottom of said depressions being of greater depth than those of the bearing recesses.

5. The combination of claim 1 including extracting; means cooperating with the wedgeand the bottom of the bearing recess for causing positive withdrawal of the wedge from the recess, said retaining means and said extracting means each comprising a bolt.

6. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein each block.

has an inclined surface on its side wall which is remote from the undercut wall, said wedge having a locking surface complementary to and engaging the inclinedsurface. 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein each block has an inclined surface on itsside wall which is remote from the. undercut wall, said wedge. having a lockingsurface' complementary to and engaging the inclined surface, said inclined surface and said locking surface being coextensive.

8. The combination. of claim 1 wherein each block has an inclined surface on its side wall which is remote from the undercut wall, said wedge having a locking surface complementary to and engaging the inclined surface,- said inclined surface and said locking surface extending the entire length of the bearing block and the wedge respectively. 1

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein each block. has an inclined surface on its sidewall which is remote fromtheundercut wall, said wedge having a locking sur- 1 face complementary to and engaging'the inclined surface',.'

said inclined surface and said locking surface, extending the entire length of the bearing block and the wedg" 10. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said bearing recesses has an. L-shaped trough in its bottom wall, one. leg of the L-shaped trough comprising said" depression and the other leg thereof. lying laterally beyond the cutter recess and parallel thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,746,933 Gartling Feb. 11, 1930 1,812,044 Grant* June 30,1931 1,999,132 Reed. Apr.'23', 1935 2,122,763 Smith, Ir. July 5, 1938 2,138,007 Howard et al. Nov. 29, 1938" 2,189,038 Tones Feb.6, 1 940 

